Textile Sector Sets Historic Record

Exporters Adding Value to Textile Sector Recognized TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle: "This year our textile sector is advancing step by step toward a record in the history of the Turkish Republic. Now our new target is to reach 300 billion dollars in exports within 5 years" İTHİB Chairman Ahmet Öksüz: "By increasing our share of global exports, we became the world's 5th largest textile exporter. We increased our market share in the European Union from 15 percent to 17 percent." he said. ISTANBUL (AA) - The Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters Association (İTHİB) honored successful exporters who contributed approximately half of the 10 billion dollars in exports achieved in 2020. At the "İTHİB Adding Value to Exports" awards ceremony, a total of 470 companies received awards comprising 35 platinum, 59 gold, 74 silver and 302 bronze, while 652 companies earned certificates of achievement. At the ceremony, special awards were also given in categories including the company that increased exports the most this year, the company that became a member in 2020 and achieved the highest exports, the company that exported to the most countries, the company that achieved the highest value-added exports, and the company that exported the most to target countries. The textile sector, which provides continuous contribution to Turkey's total exports, continued to contribute to the country's economy through exports even during the pandemic period. The textile sector concluded 2020 with nearly 10 billion dollars in exports. İTHİB honored successful exporters accordingly.

Turkey Exporters Assembly (TİM) Chairman İsmail Gülle, speaking at the awards ceremony, emphasized that the textile sector is racing toward a historic record, expressing himself as follows:

"This year our textile sector is advancing step by step toward a record in the history of the Turkish Republic. Now our new target is to reach 300 billion dollars in exports within 5 years. Our target is high; but our exporters possess the determination, belief and resolve to achieve it. Through necessary capacity increases and new investments, we will reach both our sectoral and general export targets one by one. We also need new investments in our textile sector." Noting that it is very important for the textile sector to capture new trends, Gülle continued his remarks as follows: "In July, we unveiled the Turkish Textile Sector Sustainability Action Plan. Particularly on sustainability, our textile sector should lead all our other sectors. The world is now speaking about green transformation more loudly. We are all aware of the sensitivity of our most important export market on this issue. I invite all our industrialists, producers, suppliers and exporters to adopt a production approach that prioritizes nature and the environment. Sustainability is not a risk for us; on the contrary, it is an important opportunity before us. As we succeed in these areas, we will gradually become a brand in terms of sustainability; we will produce for the world without consuming the world. At the point our exports have reached, I once again congratulate the textile sector that has made tremendous contributions and our export champions."

Target of 12 Billion Dollars in Textile Exports

İTHİB Chairman Ahmet Öksüz, in his remarks, congratulated all companies contributing to country exports and winning awards, noting that great responsibilities fall on everyone for Turkey's economy, which develops through exports. Öksüz said their objectives are to develop the production network, create new employment, increase exports and contribute more to the country's economy. Emphasizing that despite all the negative effects of the pandemic in 2020 they achieved nearly 10 billion dollars in exports, Öksüz noted the following: "By increasing our share of global exports, we became the world's 5th largest textile exporter. We increased our market share in the European Union from 15 percent to 17 percent. In 2021, we are approaching a historic peak step by step with your contributions. In the January-September period, our textile sector exports increased 39.5 percent compared to 2020 and 26.2 percent compared to 2019, reaching 9.4 billion dollars. Together with the ready-made clothing sector, our employment reached 1.2 million. Our industrial production index reached an all-time high at 141.8. In parallel with all these economic indicators, our textile sector together with the ready-made clothing sector rose to become one of Turkey's largest exporting sectors." Emphasizing that they aim to be among the world's top 3 largest textile exporting countries in the long term, Öksüz continued his remarks as follows: "There is no reason our sector should not surpass its competitors ahead. Our infrastructure, qualified workforce and strong textile companies all have the accumulated experience to reach these targets. The 9.4 billion dollars in exports we achieved in the first 9 months of 2021 shows that our sector has raised the bar of success one step higher. The target is clear; we will reach these targets through joint efforts. Through our sustainability work, R&D and innovation capacity programs, R&D projects and trade fairs, we will continue our efforts to achieve 12 billion dollars in exports in the short term and to become one of the world's top 3 largest textile exporting countries in the medium term." Regarding the activities carried out as a union, Öksüz made the following assessment: "At the 'Texfair of The World – New York' fair, which is the only sectoral export products fair organized among exporter unions, we brought together leading American brands with our fabric companies. We are successfully continuing our Technical Textiles and Clothing Subsidiary Industry R&D projects. For our Sustainable Textiles R&D project, which will be Turkey's first R&D project focused on circular economy and sustainability, we gathered demand from our companies and submitted them for our ministry's approvals. We enabled our companies to conduct thousands of bilateral meetings with international buyers through our Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia Virtual Trade Missions and Première Vision Virtual Fair. We fought with all our might to protect our sector against unfair competition. By collaborating with international fashion designers, we held our trend seminars. The first exhibition work held at the Presidential Complex under the patronage of Ms. Emine Erdoğan was also realized by our association. With the support of the Ministry of Commerce and Turkey Exporters Assembly, we brought to life the Weaving Atlas Project of Turkey by identifying over 150 historical weaving facilities in Turkey. We continue our efforts to introduce our project throughout the world in the coming period. I thank all our member companies that have made tremendous contributions to both our sector and our country's economy throughout all these processes." The first 15 companies receiving platinum awards are as follows: 1 AK-PA TEKSTİL İHRACAT PAZARLAMA ANONİM ŞİRKETİ 2 KORDSA TEKNİK TEKSTİL A.Ş. 3 ZORLU DIŞ TİC. A.Ş. 4 GREİF FPS TURKEY AMBALAJ. SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. 5 ORMO YÜN İPLİK SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. 6 TEKSİS TEKSTİL ÜRÜNLERİ PAZARLAMA A.Ş. 7 KİPAŞ PAZARLAMA VE TİC. A.Ş. 8 KADİFETEKS MENSUCAT SAN. A.Ş. 9 AYDIN TEKSTİL TİC. VE PAZ. A.Ş. 10 NİTTO BENTO BANTÇILIK SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. 11 KASAR VE DUAL TEKS. SAN. A.Ş. 12 CESUR AMBALAJ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. 13 KETS TEKS. TURZ. TİC. A.Ş. 14 TORAMAN TEKS. DERİ VE İNŞ. SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. 15 SEPA MENSUCAT SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş.